When the Loonies Get Confused

It appears that the Las Cruces Tea Party Contact List has been hacked.

Beyond the basic wrong that has been done, I must add the obvious: it seems very clear that our fellow freedom fighters are making an impact that is making someone nervous. I am very sorry that their contact info has been leaked, but kudos and congrats to the Las Cruces Tea Party folks!

And the "someone who is nervous", henceforth referred to (in this blogpost) as "Loonie", has voiced his/her opinion that the Tea Party folks are a "bunch of loons". It appears Loonie is experiencing major role reversal confusion.

According to the ABQ Journal article, Loonie hacked into the list and then distributed the names contained in the list including an email with at least one expletive as its major point.

The expletive was the only apparent substance of Loonie's message, evidently summarizing his entire body of thought and intended message; no other clear point was made. I cannot confirm that an exclamation point was even used.

My Dad told me something long ago that I have never forgotten: "Jeannie, people usually swear when they can't think of anything better to say."

It appears that he was right.

So with that, enough said, and not a swear word in the bunch.

Thanks Dad.

You know, I have never really been a FOX News fan. Not because I don't agree with them on many issues, just because.

As of today, however, FOX News has became my official station. My TV will be tuned to FOX News from now on.

When the President of the United States feels a need to focus attention, resources and staff to disrepute a news station of any kind - I wouldn't care if it was a tabloid magazine - my thought is that there is something that he is afraid of (maybe the truth?).

Even more important is the basic freedom of speech issue, something Obama seems to believe only applies to peole who think like he does.

More and more our current President is showing his colors.

Today it's yellow.

Really? I mean, REALLY?

So UNM wants to raise the bar on student admissions. Really? It looks to me like they should be raising the bar on employee admissions: their hiring practices and human resource policies. Heck, it's not the students who are in local headlines for allegedly hitting someone in the face or creating environments that result in legal action for sexual harassment and age discrimination.

Maybe the ethics curriculum needs strengthening, but never fear, math is alive and well on the UNM campus: there's a common denominator in the two recent UNM headlines in the Albuquerque Journal - Coach Locksley. He is the staffer that supposedly communicated to his administrative assistant that she wasn't young enough to attract new recruits. And he allegedly hit his assistant coach in the face. Nice guy. Where was the bar when they brought him on board - on the floor?

If one my sons was on the team, without even considering the losing season the coach is spearheading - I would not want him to be near Coach Locksley. He is not the role model I would want any of my sons working his tail off for. In any case, the lessons he is teaching by his example don't belong on campus or on the field.

Maybe UNM really does want to raise the bar for student admissions, but why make the effort when funds, reputation and honor are being lost on the field by someone who was hired to lead the UNM football players.

And speaking of bars, in my opinion Locksley should be barred; it could only help raise the bar for everyone else.

Let the Punishment Fit the Crime

When Coach Locksley decided to slam his fist into another coach's face, he was not exercising a god-given freedom. He was exhibiting uncontrolled anger. He was exhibiting an over-the-top ego too. And there are mixed emotions about what should be done about it, although the decision has already been made and a 10-day suspension is underway.

As I have followed this debacle, I had no idea that Coach Locksley has been the head football coach at UNM for LESS than a year. He's a newbie, in some ways. He's basically - or should be - on probation in his new position.  A probationary time is usually used to determine any unacceptable traits or weaknesses in performance that would not typically show up in a standard interview/background check process. It's a time to watch someone "in action." Locksley certainly gave us that! Action seems to be one of his communication tools, violent action. Where is common sense in this issue? What would happen if a student decided to slam their fist into another student, OR, even better, into the assistant coach's face? Something tells me they would receive more than a 10-day suspension. Where are the strong leaders at UNM? Isn't there anyone who understands that unacceptable behavior is exactly that - unacceptable?

And another example of an absolute lack of leadership: when young - and I mean YOUNG (6 years old) - Zacharie Christie took his prized new camping tool to school, he was summarily suspended for 45 days (yes, I said FORTY_FIVE days) for bringing a weapon to school (the fork, spoon, KNIFE camp set was deemed dangerous by the over-reactive powers that be). 

I have watched this with stunned amazement. As a former two-term (that would be more years than Zacharie is old) school board trustee in a school district that also had a Zero Tolerance Policy for weapons, fighting  (and drugs) and I have wondered where common sense has gone.

Both of these recent cases involving a coach and a kid show that school leadership often doesn't have any common sense, and evidently also does not have any real understanding of the policies in place, and WHY they are there, when it comes to appropriate discipline of students and staff.

If they had either common sense or an understanding of the philospophy behind a policy, Coach Locksley would be dealing with more than a 10-day suspension including serious discussion about why hitting people is not acceptable, will not be tolerated, and cannot be overlooked. (Yes, I know he is going to participate in an anger management class - whoopty-do)

And in the case of young Zacharie, he should not have missed more than a day of school, and that would be the day the 'knife' was discovered, the time it took to call his parents and gather in the principal's office to explain to Zacharie in a caring but serious way exactly why knives - in any form - should not be brought to school. Something tells me he would get it.

Zacharie is 6, he has an excuse.

Coach Locksley? Something tells me he will never get it. There is no excuse for his behavior. After all, even Zacharie at age 6 knows better than to hit someone at school.

That's one of the things they teach us in kindergarten; in spite of what they are teaching in higher ed.

Blogging Stalled...

It would be much easier to opine on local political issues if I had time to read the newspaper or sit down long enough to watch the news.

Life will calm! Let Liberty prevail!

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Obama's Prize.

Fidel comes through for Obama

I can only imagine how disheartening it may have been for President Obama these past few days.

After all, he received a great honor - the Nobel Peace Prize - but hardly anybody cheered. In fact, they more often booed. It's almost like giving a party but nobody shows up.

These disheartening experiences can be defining moments in our lives. Times when we should be inclined to do some serious self-analysis and reflect on what's real and important; a time to stop trying and start DOING - unless, of course, you were just given an award for trying.

In any case, these challenging times in life can be important, they allow us to reaffirm or adjust our ideals and priorities.

And it's during these tough times that we come to realize who our true friends and allies are.

It's no different for President Obama - Fidel came through for him.

It must be time for another beer in the Rose Garden.

When a Joke Isn't Funny - and Isn't Even a Joke

I thought it was a joke - so did a lot of folks. But it seems that Obama has been awarded a Nobel Prize -  "for trying".

In an official statement, the Republican National Committee said: "The real question Americans are asking is, 'What has President Obama actually accomplished?' It is unfortunate that the president's star power has outshined tireless advocates who have made real achievements working towards peace and human rights. One thing is certain -- President Obama won't be receiving any awards from Americans for job creation, fiscal responsibility, or backing up rhetoric with concrete action."

I couldn't agree more and I am still waiting for the punchline. I can't see how this makes sense.

You know...maybe it was the infomercials.

Common Sense is Nonpartisan

For the first time in decades, Albuquerque has elected a fiscal conservative, a Republican and a tall guy as Mayor. In an  impressive win, Mayor Elect R.J. Barry will take over the reins on December 1st, 2009.

In a city of liberal thinkers and an abundance of Obamanos! bumper stickers still flying by on the freeway, it's good to know that reality is still paramount in the minds of the voters.

As Mayor Elect Barry has said, we can expect a common sense leadership from him - and "common sense is nonpartisan.".

Well said, and an election well-deserved and much needed.